I don't really like the word blog, but it seems pointless to fight it, Zis is a blog.
If you want to know more about an Algerian girl who lives in London and struggles with thoughts that are beyond the remits of her understanding, stories of society and social climbers of love and deception and of a status of seemingly eternal singlehood, then you are in the right place...

Thursday, 2 May 2019

Algeria calling!

This year will make my 18th in the U.K., going on 19th and I can safely say. Thanks very much for the laughs and the good times, the humour, the extra kilos, the shit weather, the amazing experiences and the opportunities (such a twatty expression) but it's time to leave.

Though I say that, I feel like a deserter, who leaves when the going gets tough with Brexit looming and all, what can I say, I am just not a big fan of tinned food! Though the question beckons, where to now?

My
whole being is screaming for Algeria but it feels like I’d be jumping from a
sinking island into a sinking ship. I feel a little homeless, just when I thought
myself the luckiest girl to have two countries to call my own with the choices
of both cultures and weather…what have you. I find myself in limbo!Although
the economic barometer points to Asia/Pacific or the UAE, the heart longs for
the sunny shores of Algeria and the wonderful beckoning Friday protests which
warm the sternest of hearts, expect for Gaid salah, he doesn’t have one.

But it
doesn’t have to be limbo!

I am
contemplating a move back home, to join the struggle (yes it’s a struggle), I
can no longer allow myself to be content with my level of participation. The involvement
is there and running at over 100% capacity, however the itch to take part, to
be there and feel the energy, determination and hope of this great, funny and
totally bonkers nation is more than I can take.

12 comments:

After coming back you will certainly miss the warmth and the politeness of the Brits, the clean streets ans the lights which you've been used to and took for granted. Good luck to you and wish you all the best. Someone who's been back for years and still reminiscing.

I am curious as to what you will be struggling towards. My friend from Tizi Ouzou is Berber and he struggles for freedom to be who he is, some in his family are Muslim others are not. He seeks for freedom from tyranny against his minority, so I never get to hear what other struggles the nation has. I mean from him. So what are some of the other issues in the nation?

After 13 years of traveling around I had to give up all of this and settle down. In Algeria for the last two years, it is hard to be honest, to face the Algerian reality, from people behavior to the economic situation but I learned to give back to the community specially to the students, and to take care of myself go to the gym, try new activities and it's not that bad actually Your texts have made me happy more than once so please keep writing

M KARII am so glad you asked  specifically about the Berber question.I am Amazigh, the Algerian people are Berbers, who were arabised by post-independence governments who thought it wise to continue in the colonial charade of we are “Arabs”. We speak Arabic and have suffered from a huge Arab influence but it’s nothing more than colonial legacy no different from the French.

I reject it almost entirely, though I don’t deny the language is ours and has been for generations, the same applies to the French language, if you are going to adopt the colonial language why choose one and not the other. So I speak both and I don’t have qualms about it, but Derja and Tamazight always come first.

I am a PanAfricanist and I have always claimed our indigenous African heritage, and that would be one of my main struggles to remind people of their identity and the importance of their African heritage over the one imposed by colonialism and their post-independence government puppets.

Djamila Selamawit Thank you for sharing. I needed to hear that. Of course I realise it will be difficult but I am at a point in my life where I need a proper challenge.I will be involved as you are, in many activities and events and just want to be part of the change we are undergoing and not just watch it from afar.

Dzchick and M Kari, the Arabs came to algeria centuries and centuries ago. You say arabisation only happened post colonialism yet you acknowledge Arabic as a language has been ours for ages? how does that make sense?As a country we need to move on from what ethnicity we are, it's pointless and backwards. We're a diverse mix, including Berber, Arab and African. In the same way you don't like to be defined as arab, don't try and define others as non-arab.

mmmm ... I don't share the enthusiasm many have for this so called "hirak" (horrible name !) ... I have been in only one friday, and I can say for sure that I've seen a lot of positive things but I was seeing a lot of troubles coming along .. the revolutionary enthusiasm will soon no longer be enough to hide the huge gap between different convictions over tons of divisive topics (religion, freedom, women rights, identity, etc.) .. other than that raki fi bladek and free to add your grain of salt ! Happy to hear from you !

Hello my dear Homo Erectus I do tend to agree with the diverging views on religion, politics and identity but as this is a nation of over 40M souls, it is expected. overzealousness however is what scares me, in anything, it can be dangerous.